End of 2022 Lolidrobe Reassessment

The end of the year 2022 is almost upon us. And boy, what a year of ups and downs it has been! Although in this post I will skip most of the things that aren’t directly lolita-related (otherwise we’d be here all night). The lolita stuff alone kept me busy with things to do or think about.

Overview of Purchases

Dare I say that this was an interesting year for purchases? It’s hard to photograph or quantify that the things I was buying gave me very similar feels to what I’d been buying back in 2016 when I was first able to dedicate money, as well as time and energy, into expanding my collection. It’s the same vibe this year somehow.

• 2 main pieces
• 4 blouses
• 9 pieces of outerwear (1 classic bolero in brown, 1 classic bolero in sax*)
• 2 layering pieces
• 4 pairs of legwear (1 gothic tights in black*, 1 pair of sweet OTKs in ivory x gold)
• 4 pairs of shoes
• 1 basket
• 1 petticoat*
• 1 calendar
• and 42 sets of accessories (1 sweet necklace in yellow, 1 sweet necklace in white x red, 1 sweet necklace in pastel holo, 1 classic ring in navy, 1 sweet ring in sax, 1 sweet bracelet in pearl x red, 1 classic bracelet in white, 1 classic bracelet in pink, 1 classic bracelet in sax, 1 classic bracelet in red, 1 classic bracelet in blue, 1 pair of classic earrings in gold x white, 1 pair of sweet/classic earrings in red, 1 pair of gothic earrings in black x silver, 1 pair of gothic earrings in black x bronze, 1 classic headdress in white x sax, 1 gothic pin in black, 1 classic ring in green, 1 pair of sweet earrings in yellow, 1 pair of sweet earrings in beige, 1 sweet bracelet in beige, 1 sweet beret in navy)

What the above doesn’t show is that alongside making these various additions I was also getting rid of things. Not at the same rate or on the same scale, nonetheless many of the above were either replacements for things I sold or to fill in the gaps that I have identified this year within my wardrobe. I feel like true impulse purchases were quite few (within lolita, that is). How much wear the things I acquired will get remains to be put to the test, nonetheless I am optimistic. It feels like I have to be so that buying 70 things in 12 months doesn’t dampen my spirit straight away.

The Year of the Wardrobe Overhaul

This was the big goal for the whole of 2022 and so it understandably took over much of the year itself in terms of time, energy, and other resources. It was a very lengthy process that was entirely worth all the time and effort involved because it resulted in so many positive changes, from simply feeling better with and in the clothes I own to a renewed sense of excitement with my style and a clarity of direction. It’s definitely something that I can’t recommend highly enough to everyone who feels stuck with their wardrobe and/or style. Getting rid of things and replacing them with better versions is good, but understanding why you feel this way or that towards some substyles/items/looks/whatever is better and lets you address it in a way that will actually stick. I won’t sugarcoat that it isn’t tiring, because it is - the fact that it took me most of the year is testament enough - but I can wholly see the effects of this overhaul lasting me for another few years. I talked about it in more detail in the video dedicated to summarising that, which you can find here.

As far as graphs go, it's not the best one out there, but it's done so much to help me figure out what I like on myself. I still find myself referring back to these concepts when window shopping, which shows how useful it's been. You can find the whole post on how I figured out my current classic style here.

The Year of Slowing Down

Part of me feels like I may have said this one before, but I can’t really be arsed to search for confirmation of whether I did or not, so it’s included at the risk of repeating myself. In case you haven’t noticed, I’ve gone down from two posts a week to one, and sometimes not even that. And when I say in my videos that my aim is to do one a month - it actually is one a month at best, rarely more. The initial freedom of working from home offered by the early pandemic is a distant memory and creative outlets like blogging or making videos is something that I have to actively carve out time for, schedule even, instead of stealing the time for them whenever. Moreover, I’ve always been a believer that it’s better to stay quiet than to force yourself to say something when you have nothing to say for the sake of making content. It’s a common term these days and I know that by definition of what I do I am a content creator, but part of me vehemently resents that label. I’m a creative person first. Blogging, videos, the outfits I wear - they’re part of my creative expression outlets. That they become something for others to consume is secondary, a by-product of my needing to release that out of my system and into the world. This year the creative flow wasn’t as strong, so running with that and slowing down was the natural thing to do. This may change in the future and the door stays open to more. But unless I do have something to say, expect this to be the new standard: one blog post a week (or fewer), one video a month, and one Instagram post a day (for the foreseeable future since I simply seem to have a perpetual backlog).

The other day my heart rate was up because despite being off work and having all the time, my brain focused on the things I wanted to do as things I had to do. Slowing down is definitely the best way forward for me right now.
Photo by Vie Studio on Pexels.

The Year of Coming Back

One swallow doesn’t make a summer and one international event doesn’t necessarily make a full come-back to that lifestyle… but it isn’t just one event. It’s one event attended this year, one already booked for next year that’s not in so much danger of being cancelled, and four meetups that I have organised (two of which were of the bigger, requires-deposit-and-bookings kind). Yes, the pandemic isn’t over, as Lord is my witness the UK has done an absolutely shit job of handling it, C-19 isn’t gone - but it’s also hard to dispute that things feel a lot closer to what I remember them being in 2019 than at any time in the last two years. It is very selfish to hope that this will come back for good, given how insignificant those things are in the face of the hardship that still persists in the world. At the same time, it’s so human to want life to be made up of only good things. And it felt so good to have those bigger gatherings back… We’ve been saying this for the last two years, that things are going to get better, and I for sure hope that this time it’ll stick.

This is what I missed the most: the goofs with other frilly people.
Photo from the booth courtesy of Pipparazzi_Cosplay.

The Year of Health

Ok, I was going to keep things strictly lolita fashion related here, but sometimes life outside of that spills onto everything and it’s impossible to neatly exclude one part. 2022 was a big year of health for me - partly by design and partly by chance. This is the first time in my life when I have consistently exercised (not counting having to during PE classes in school) and I’m still getting used to considering my mental health as consciously and actively as I do now, including seeking therapy. This was another journey of ups and downs, with my body image spiralling several times and having to reconcile myself with certain physical changes that aren’t within my means to affect. That’s just the part that’s most closely related to lolita fashion, other than the aspect that involved setting aside less funds for buying clothes and more to invest in my health. Completing my wardrobe overhaul contributed big time to improving my mental health and I am coming to terms with inevitable body changes whilst enjoying having a healthier lifestyle. Even though it’s been literal months of that already, it will probably take a while longer for my brain to register that this isn’t just a new routine that I’m implementing right now, but my actual lifestyle, that it’s who I am at the moment. With the start that I’ve made during 2022, however, I feel optimistic about it sticking this time. And undoubtedly cultivating a healthier lifestyle will continue to spill into the lolita side of things too.

For some context of how massive this is, I used to say that exercising is beneath me. Now I start every morning with something, including running, and it's bonkers that I'm still at it.

Review of 2022 Goals

2022’s goals were a journey. In some cases that journey was a bit more straightforward and/or linear than in others, and there were many lessons learnt along the way, which made the successes in achieving those worth all the more.

1. Did I create a themed lookbook: yes. There was a change of plans in the process and a whole lot of faff that went with that (way too much for an organised person like myself), nonetheless I am happy with the end result. The lookbook also ended up feeding into the No Buy Support Challenge that I was doing this year, which was a lovely bonus. Both the post and the lookbook can be found here.
2. Did I take more mirror selfies: yes. I hope to be able to carry on doing more of those and get better at them - both technically and at remembering that mirror selfies are an acceptable form of documenting my outfits. This fashion is supposed to be fun to wear, so anything that keeps it that way is welcome. In the end, there was one in almost every monthly outfits post, which is a great testament of the work that this included.
3. Wardrobe Overhaul
1. Have I done a wardrobe purge: yes, as much of one as I was able to. Items that don’t fit me properly either exited my wardrobe or were altered, and everything that was to be sold either has or is still listed somewhere. Between those two achievements my wardrobe feels a lot more true to me, a lot more enticing to wear, and a lot more suitable to the variety of occasions that I dress up for.
2. Have I divided my wardrobe into seasonal parts: yes (finally!). There was a whole lot of procrastination on this front and I am still getting used to navigating my various spreadsheets to remember that some things are packed away, however, the process appears to have worked. I don’t really miss the things that have been put away until spring/summer and that extra bit of room in my wardrobe, however small, makes it easier to get pieces in and out of it, both of which are exactly what I had hoped to get out of this. I did a video summing up this whole overhaul process, which you can find here if you fancy watching it.

This time last year I felt a little underwhelmed about the year I was leaving behind. Right now I am looking towards 2023 with a lot more optimism than I had towards 2022. The wardrobe overhaul certainly reignited that spark of excitement I had for this fashion, further brought into life by the return of big lolita events that I could attend. Even though this is being balanced pretty hard by my personal life trying to get in the way, but that’s something that I’m working on as best I can.

In these last few days of the calendar year, as I think every year, I am taking the time to rest and urge everyone else to do the same. Be kind to yourself, do not put undue pressure on yourself, and allow your mind and body the downtime they deserve. Whatever may be happening in your life, you deserve kindness and rest. If this is the last thing that you read in 2022, then I wish you all the best in the upcoming New Year!

1 Dress 4 Looks Take 63

Not going to lie, I procrastinated pretty hard on putting together this post for Konbini Market, just like I did with the review. And when I have had a weekend to myself, I wasn’t necessarily feeling like spending an hour putting together flatlays. But it’s here now. Let’s face it, this dress 100% deserves to be showcased in any which way possible, it’s just too good not to wear, even if right now my priority is to wear all the festive things that I can. However, as soon as that’s done - well, I’ll at least have these outfits to potentially wear!

Look 1: ワッフル (Waffle)

| offbrand cardigan, hair clips, and bow ring | Roji Roji socks | Sosic Shop shoes | Imogen’s Imagination beret | handmade choker | Risu Rose ring |

As you’ll quickly guess, each of these coords was inspired by a food item that may or may not be featured on the print itself. Waffles aren’t, unless we count the ice cream cones. I like how the yellow items immediately brought out the pretty muted shade of blue to life. There’s a reason why primary colours look good together and this coord is proving that pretty well. Of course, were it to be worn there’d be a blouse of some sorts too, I was being lazy when putting the flatlays together.

Look 2: ナポリタンアイス (Neapolitan Ice Cream)

| Dear Celine Polka Dot Waltz blouse | Angelic Pretty Ice Cream Parlor OTKs | Sosic Shop shoes | handmade headbow | Mojiangxiaopu hair clip |offbrand necklace | Milkribbon Butterkeks brooch | Angelic Pretty Milky Candy brooch | Angelic Pretty Logo Ribon Charm wrist cuffs | Innocent World Chiffon wrist cuffs | Twinkle Kitty Boutique ring |

Oof, writing out the items in sweet coords always takes up so much space, even when there isn’t actually that much. In the spirit of tricolour, I swapped out the colours for those of a Neapolitan ice cream: strawberry, vanilla, and chocolate. The blue of the dress serves here like the canvas to convey the ice cream and to add those white accents whilst everything else is focusing on the other two colours, which aren’t so prominent (or even present) within the print.

Look 3: 牛乳 (Milk)

| Metamorphose blouse | offbrand socks, shoes, and beret | Innocent Word Art Nouveau headbow | handmade bracelets | Cutie Creator wrist cuffs |

The casual coord for this post inspired by those milk cartons on the print. And to be honest, I might even swap the beret and headbow out for just some hair clips if I do ever wear this out. Sure, it bothers me a bit that the sneakers have all those colours except blue on them, but the reality is that most of them aren’t really seen when worn, so it works as just a simple white base. Though now that I look at this, I should’ve removed the belt and replaced it with the white bow belt from Banned Retro that I have. Oh well, that’s something for the future.

Look 4: チェリーミント (Cherry Mint)

| Niuniu’s Shop blouse | Haenuli Secret Garden tights | Bodyline shoes | Angelic Pretty Twinkle Star headbow | offbrand hair tie and necklace | handmade earrings | Chocomint ring | Cutie Craze Cafe Whip Cream Cherry ring |

I’m pretty annoyed with myself on this one too because I had literally written down to use the AP Cherry Stamp socks and then somehow not seen that, as well as completely forgotten that I even own them, to the point where I didn’t even see them in my drawer. This version gets the point across, but I think the overall look would’ve been nicer with them. Red and mint is a great colour combination, even if cherry and mint isn’t a flavour combination that I’d personally go for.


Konbini Market lends itself so well to all sorts of looks thanks to all the various colours that are already within the print. Though it seems that it also leans more towards more casual styling. Which isn’t a bad thing! However, seeing as I haven’t done my usual thing of trying to create something more OTT for this post, I may simply have to find an occasion to create something more OTT at some point. Maybe it’s time to make a new giant straw… That’s future Paulina’s problem though.

The Black Ribbon Konbini Market JSK review

The procrastinating part of me tried to dissuade me from writing this post since by now I’ve worn this dress a handful of times, I raved about it, so is there really a point? But if there’s a point in sharing an unboxing, then there’s a point in sharing a review. All the more so for indie brands like The Black Ribbon who thrive off feedback being shared through word of mouth. So ignore how belated this review is, focus on the goodness that is the dress presented and take this as one of the many positive things that have already been said about The Black Ribbon.

About The Black Ribbon

For those of us still unfamiliar with the brand (as due to location they are much more popular in the USA than in Europe), The Black Ribbon is a California-based independent kawaii fashion brand. Their specialty is lolita main pieces with a focus on classic and sweet designs, as well as on wafuku, though they also regularly release smaller bits, from cutsews and corsets to lace-topped socks and more recently: Kumya dresses. They are a frequent vendor at conventions and lolita fashion events across the United States, and I admit that I’ve only ever heard one person outside of the USA talking about them in the context of owning their items, which feels like a great shame. Whilst The Black Ribbon seems to mostly be working with commercially available fabrics, their eye for spotting the more unusual ones means that there really isn’t much like their pieces on the market, which together with offering sizes that fit Western bodies has rightfully earned them appreciation from the community.

About the Order

Ordering, or rather pre-ordering, my dress from The Black Ribbon was extremely easy thanks to the pretty standard webshop checkout system embedded within their website. After stalking and stalking for literal months (seriously, I knew about Konbini Market since January and had to wait until June to get my grubby paws on it), the order went live on their website. I checked out on the same day as the pre-order dropped, bagging my preferred colourway and size (size 2, more on that later), and then waited.

The release was expected to start shipping by mid-September, which to be totally honest, I forgot over the months of waiting. However, there were regular production updates shared via Instagram, so I knew that things were moving along. My order was shipped at the end of September and arrived on October 17th with no issues whatsoever. Other than the dress I also received some Japanese sweets, which were as appreciated as they were appropriate for the theme of this print.

About the Dress

My first choice was the JSK in Oyatsu Blue, as that fabric was what caught my attention all the way back in January. At the time of placing the order I was having some struggles with my body image, so whilst part of my brain tried to reassure me that I would easily fit size 1 (and in hindsight, I still think that I would have), I gave in to the anxiety by buying the slightly larger size 2 which was a bit less on the cusp of my measurements. Either cost $265, so needing that peace of mind made the choice for me in the end.

The dress in all its glory, simple in construction and very charming in print details.

The dress that arrived is as gorgeous as the one I saw on preview pictures. The cotton fabric is just the right weight to hold a bit of structure on its own, thus helping the petticoat create your desirable volume, without being prone to excessive wrinkling. Straight out of the bag the dress was good to go after only a bit of shaking and any remaining wrinkles settled after the dress was hung up for a day. Between the weight of the fabric and the solid construction, this dress feels sturdy enough to take a beating (not that I plan on subjecting it to one), which fills me with confidence that this will stay with me for years.

This satin ribbon belt adds a great pop of a more vibrant colour to the JSK.

The Black Ribbon made a very smart decision in keeping trims minimal to highlight the amazing print. At the same time, the choices on what was included do accentuate the print further, from the striped red ribbon belt and bows at the straps to the simple white lace along the hem and a little above it to create a tiered effect. Whilst personally I am less keen on the bib as part of the overall design of Konbini Market, it is one bloody good bib, sitting very straight over the bodice and with some of the most beautiful pintucks that I have ever seen (and yes, I am going to have a little moment of singing praises for those pintucks, I admire them every single time!). This design is a masterclass in taking a fabric that’s already cute and making it kawaii. This could’ve easily been a much simpler cut, like a square neck JSK that Jane Marple favours - it still would’ve made for a very cute dress, but the overall effect would’ve been more “quirky arts teacher”. It’s the choice of trims and how they’re applied that takes the dress away from that and firmly into sweet lolita territory without taking any of the print’s inherent quirkiness away.

Pintucks might just be my absolute favourite construction detail ever. If I ever learn to sew, I am learning how to do pintucks and adding them everywhere!

Speaking of the print, it absolutely is the star of the show and still my favourite part about the whole thing. Although part of me anticipated the blue to be a little bit more saturated based on the fabric previews shared via Instagram, this slightly more muted shade of blue lends itself well to pairing with other colours from the print. It’s a bit of a chore to try to match, but if you know me, then you know that I’m not about that perfect colour matching anyway. Each of the snacks on the print evokes exactly the kind of Japan nostalgia that has me reaching for my trusty YouTube clip of Osaka Metro Midosuji line announcements and crying because I want this one specific kind of ice-cream that’s only sold in Japanese konbini (Choko Monaka Jumbo, in case you’re wondering, big recommend if you make it to Japan). It sounds dramatic and it’s all to say that the print is bang on at conveying not just the cuteness of Japanese snacks, but also that vibe of something being familiar yet foreign at the same time. All with a slight retro twist in terms of the style of illustration on the print - any of these snacks could’ve been framed and sold as a retro poster that I would’ve happily put up in my kitchen.

A carton of actual milk (as opposed to soy milk, which is more popular in Japan since it's more affordable) to add something less sugary into the mix.

I've never actually had one of those fruit sandwiches. Though Japanese konbini sandwiches do genuinely slap, they're great!

An ice candy (or a penguin lolly as I would've called it), sitting upside down on this print.

Earlier I talked about going for a size up and realising upon arrival that this may have been a little excessive. Size 2, which I purchased, certainly feels accurate to the measurements advertised on the listing page (which are bust 38-44” and waist 31-37”). The partial shirring at the back stretches with ease, it has enough give to accommodate that size range whilst also feeling strong and not like it’s stretched out already. Framing the shirring panel with two channels of boning was an unprecedented idea (at least to me) that has significantly raised my standards and expectations. They help the shirring lay flat across your back and although I’m personally used to the feeling of boning helping my posture, this one is plastic and lightweight enough so that it doesn’t force you to change how you stand or sit (though may aid that if you’d like it to). The straps are a comfortable length and adjustable further if required. Where it becomes the most apparent that I could’ve gone for size 1 is just under the arms where the dress pulls away from my body a little, having been cut slightly wider than what I need in that area. Had there been some space for corset lacing over the shirring panel, it likely would’ve fixed that issue for me, but that would require sacrificing the boning channels which I enjoy. The slightly too big a size is not immediately noticeable and it does mean that should I grow, there’d be room to accommodate that, plus it makes for an overall extremely comfortable JSK - nonetheless I am a little upset with my past self that being in a worse state emotionally prevented me from getting size 1 which probably would have been a more accurate fit for me without sacrificing the comfort.

One of the three types of lace used on this dress.

Though my favourite is probably the hem lace, it's so dainty and soft.

And there’s a pocket. Only one, as there’s a sturdy zip on the other side, nonetheless there’s a very sizable pocket which has already come in useful during not one, but two grocery shop trips.

Can it even be a complete print of Japanese snacks without some melon pan?

More ice cream to add to the other ice cream featured.

Another one that's upside down within the print: kuriimu pan.

Overall, The Black Ribbon’s Konbini Market JSK has 100% met my expectations. It’s comfortable, adorable, and nostalgia-inducing in all the best ways possible. I can’t wait to explore all the different ways that I could style this print and whilst in my mind it’s associated a little bit more with the warmer seasons, I will do my best to wear it throughout the year and seasons because it truly deserves this. The Black Ribbon also gets a full 10/10 from me, shopping with them was a wonderful experience and whilst my wallet would rather that they didn’t release too much that called my name so strongly, my body is more than ready to welcome all the comfortable and flattering dresses that they have to offer.

Whilst this review is far more comprehensive than the video embedded below, if you’d like to see some true first reactions, then enjoy the unboxing that I have filmed for this. This is likely going to be my last video for this calendar year, even if it was filmed all the way back in October, so enjoy the unseasonality of it!

Favourite Brands I Don't Own Yet

In the spirit of ‘catch them all’, I’ve always been inclined to want to collect something from every lolita brand (within reason, of course, given how many there are). And since Bibliotheca decided that this month's theme would be favourites, the time is as good as any to update that particular list of mine. Because it certainly has been changing a lot over the years.

1. Physical Drop

Kato-san’s designs have been praised by so many for their comfort, durability, and practicality, as well as aesthetic value. I admit that it’s taken me a while to truly appreciate that, but now that I have, the urge is real. Truth is, if money wasn’t an object, I would’ve already owned something from Physical Drop by now as their pieces are just perfect for daily wear. It’s not like it’s an expensive brand, for what they deliver in terms of quality their pricing seems more than fair. However, without a standout feature or design to tip the scales for me, I am yet to find the item that I want to drop money on. And the second hand market isn’t exactly coming to the rescue as Physical Drop buyers buy for keeps. One day though, one day…

I know that I just praised Physical Drop's wearability and daily wear pieces, but this iteration of the nurse set will forever live rent free inside my head.

2. Lief

For a good few years now Lief and I have been playing this game of “is this it?”. Every design that they come up with is beautiful, perfect for dressing up or down as required, and in absolutely stunning cuts. The non-printed pieces strike me as incredibly versatile and whenever I see one ‘in the wild’, I am in awe at the quality of construction. But let’s be honest here, it’s the prints that are drawing me in. Lief manages to find the right balance between classy and cute, elegant and fun. Whilst my preference skews towards their classic prints, the sweeter ones are also a total hit too. I’m sure there’s a countdown above my head when it comes to Lief for when something of theirs will find its way to me, there simply has to be.

I'm still not fully sure why I didn't go for this at the latest rerelease...
Photo from Lolibrary.org

3. Royal Princess Alice

Not unlike my relationship with Metamorphose temps de fille, at some point RPA has gone from “Whoa, this is a bit too wild and out there” to “Hang on, when did they get this cute?!”. The answer is probably somewhere around this year, 2022, because several times now they’ve come within an inch of tempting me out of my money. Some of their prints still have that maximalist feel that is a bit too much for my taste (though mostly within their darker prints, which wouldn’t have tempted me anyway), but the designs that come out of the pauses when they take a breath are more than up my alley. The last three or so prints avoided landing in my lap because of truly miniscule and subjective design choices: colourways that don’t match my wardrobe, cuts that wouldn’t fit my size or style preference etc. If 2022 releases and how much I liked them are any indication of what’s to come, then I better start saving up because 2023 could very well be the year when it happens.

Wrapping Ribbon Cat was such a close call for me!
Photo from RPA's official website.

4. Atelier Pierrot

To be honest, I’ve admired Atelier Pierrot for a long while now, maybe 5 or 6 years? There were definitely hurdles to overcome: first accepting that I do sometimes wear gothic, then a minor struggle with fabrics (stock photo lighting is not kind to fabrics with an inherent sheen), then a misalignment between what I want vs what they were releasing… Currently we are at the stage of me knowing, being actually committed to getting an AtePie main piece, but engaging in a waiting game for them to release something that fits my unhelpfully vague descriptions (ivory JSK that’s fancy, but not too ruffly and that can take on various themes). Because I know that if anyone is going to release something like that, it will be them. It could just be the slow indoctrination by all my goth friends who can’t seem to stop raving about Atelier Pierrot. Even if it is - I don’t care, I love what this brand does and want some of that action for myself.

Me: I don't want anything too frilly.
Also me: Get the very extra skirt and be very extra!
Photo from Lolibrary.org

5. Eat Me Ink Me

Without meaning for EMIM to feel like a token European indie brand, this is another one that’s been growing on me - probably from as far back as my modelling for them in Dublin. Unlike the other brands featured here, this admiration grew from the cuts alone. Eat Me Ink Me has some of the most flattering cuts that I’ve seen a brand release, they really work well on Western bodies and having gone on a ride towards better fit and cuts, this is really important to me. Though what I think truly drove the point home was seeing the various custom pieces they’ve done for @myrreli, that is pure magic! So whilst I don’t know yet what exactly I might want from Eat Me Ink Me, I know that I’m looking for that feeling and one day it shall be mine.

It's been 4 years now and even though this particular print is not my cup of tea, I still think about how this OP cut fit me. I think about that a lot, actually.
Photo from Lolibrary.org

The list of favourite brands I don’t own yet is obviously very limited since it’s not quite a favourite if you don’t have direct experience of it. At the same time, the above are only the highlights, I could’ve come up with more if I let myself go on. There are also plenty of other brands within this category that aren’t as interesting to talk about since they specialise in accessories as opposed to main pieces (or are even entirely not lolita related), so they may feel a little bit more attainable and less like a waiting game. The magpie brain obviously wants to throw all my money at the pretty things to have them faster, so in an effort to do the sensible thing, I will refrain from stalking these more than I already do. Whenever they release something that catches my attention enough to make me part with my cash, I will undoubtedly find it anyway.

As mentioned at the beginning, this post is part of Bibliotheca’s monthly theme for bloggers. Others will also be writing about all kinds of favourites that they have, which might be more tangible than what I’ve decided to talk about, so make sure you check out their posts too, as well as subscribe to the Bibliotheca mailing list.

November Coords Roundup

Apologies that this post is a little later. I was very keen to include the final coord in this mix, but between going out on a weekday and not starting the post early enough over the weekend, delaying posting it was the only sensible option.

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Coord 1: Friendsical

| Bodyline L262 JSK and matching hair tie | Axes Femme cutsew | Angelic Pretty Lovely Ribbon OTKs | Angelic Pretty Drained Cherry socks | offbrand shoes and bracelet | vintage necklace | handmade bracelets |

Note to self: the 90s are a bit too minimalist to translate well into an excessive fashion like lolita - unless you do actual proto lolita.

Polka dots everywhere.

The month of November kicked off with my Mum coming over as for her birthday we booked for her and myself to go see Friendsical: The Parody Musical. Despite attempts to dress in something more closely inspired by the show, my wardrobe doesn’t really overlap with the styles from the show, so I went with something vaguely inspired by the late 90s/early 00s. The musical was so much fun - if you were/are a fan of Friends, then you’d enjoy it, it hit every nostalgia spot whilst also poking fun at the show. We were both cry-laughing in some parts and the whole cast did an absolutely stellar job at embodying the characters we’ve grown to know and love so much.

Enjoy the guest appearance from Huggsy.

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Coord 2: Quick Breakfast

| Violet Fane Ginza Kissaten skirt | A.R.W. blouse | Pairs Scotland socks | offbrand shoes and beret | handmade earrings | Lady Sloth Winter Spices necklace |

The light inside the restaurant wasn't really ideal for selfies, but it was good enough.

I'm sure that Ginza Kissaten would offer seasonal items, so the necklace with all the winter spices and honey makes perfect sense.

The day after my Mum and I decided to be fancy and eat breakfast outside. Since this was a very quick decision, the outfit picking process was as immediate as possible, though for a casual outfit thrown together on the go this is pretty good. It was cute and practical thanks to the wool socks, and we ate breakfast like queens at Dishoom, which is one of my favourite places for the vibe. The outfit photo background is only a fraction of how cool this place is.

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Coord 3: Pink and Furs

| Angelic Pretty Royal Unicorn Switching JSK | Axes Femme cutsew and collar | Violet Fane Antiquite tights | Laura Ashley shoes | offbrand hair clips and necklace | handmade earrings | Amadea Kingdom The Adventurer D4 brooch |

Truth is that I tried to wear the collar more closely to how it'd sit on the cardigan that I took it from, but it just would. not. stay. So I improvised this more open/less collar-like look.

It is incredible how the pieces that just happened to have landed in my possession become my "when in doubt" go-to's.

It wouldn't be completely dishonest to say that this coord came around because the evening before I hung out with friends on Discord to watch someone pack their summer lolita pieces and the vibes got me started on planning something. There were more reasons to dress up on a wfh Thursday, but that is how the coord started. In the process of looking for ideas in my usual way (what haven't I worn in a while and how have I worn that previously) I realised that I never paired this JSK with pink, and the rest just happened. The coord couldn't be too extravagant, since I was working and needed to be warm as well as able to move - otherwise I would've worn my pink L'Esprit de la Noblesse blouse - but I really like the varying textures that are here. Gobelin, velvet, ribbed knit, faux fur, suede shoes, wooden brooch, metal jewellery, fabric flowers - they may not seem like that much in theory, but they all add subtle nuances that make this look more interesting and not so flat.

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Coord 4: Saying Goodbye

| Metamorphose Shirring Tiered Ribbon JSK | Bodyline blouse | Innocent World OTKs | Sosic Shop shoes | Le Petit Four headdress and bracelet | Tiny Passering Creations necklace and ring |

Despite attempts at protecting my hair from the elements, it's just impossible to completely shield it from that. Which is why I take outfit pictures before leaving the house.

Bracelet and headdress appreciation flatlay.

One of my lolita friends is moving to the USA and organised a very small meet to hang out before the move. She currently lives in York, and as we know, York is pretty which warrants dressing up. Moreover, I bought this headdress in Germany and was itching to coord it with this dress, so this was the perfect occasion. The right balance of fancy and comfy meant that I was able to stay out pretty late without feeling the typical ‘all day in lolita’ tiredness, though admittedly I also brought a change of shoes which I whipped out at the end.

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Coord 5: Brown Girls Do It Too

| Grove Deer Moon of Eternal Day OP | Amavel cardigan | What Katie Did stockings | Elf Armorie Cupid’s Heart shoes | offbrand jewellery |

I wasn’t sure whether to even include this because I don’t consider this outfit lolita, more like lolita-inspired retro. But if even the stars of the show noticed you and say that my outfit looked, quote, “sick”, then heck it, it goes in. I wore this with seamed stockings (saucy, I know), though even then this stays as a more casual look in my books. And especially next to my friend whom I went to see the show with, since they were in a genuinely incredible outfit featuring a Lief’s Gardenberries JSK. So yeah, my nerdy white arse got to be part of the cool crowd. Now, at the end of the month, having gone into the show with no knowledge of the podcast, I have started listening, am at the start of season 3 (out of 3) and am loving every single episode. The show holds a much deeper meaning to the South Asian listeners, yet it touches upon such universal topics that I find plenty to relate to and it's helping me drop some baggage whilst also have a great laugh. As soon as I started listening to it I realised that probably everyone should, it is genuinely incredible! But only listen where you can maintain some privacy because not only the topics are NSFW, but you will snort-laugh out loud.

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Coord 6: Fairytale of New York

| HeartE Tartan JSK | vintage blouse | Pretty Rock Baby Spring Break Upper East Side cardigan | Hush Puppies boots | Chrysanthemum’s Concerto beret | offbrand barette |

Damn trying to get a good selfie with artificial lighting.

Those quilted buttons will never not get me all excited, I want quilted buttons everywhere!

Let’s be honest, it’s hard to feel festive when you’re tired and it’s raining outside. But I did my best since my past self booked me to see Fairytale of New York, a sort of themed concert. The outfit was definitely way more festive and cosy than I was feeling that Tuesday, which helped lift my spirits up a bit. And since I wore this outfit to work earlier that day (minus the beret) and it got lots of appreciation there, it helped all the more. Part of me feels like I should have saved this for the Christmas lunch I’m organising next month, but the other part of me still considers this much too casual for that, so it’s probably all good in the end.

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Coord 7: Mini Man Meet

| Fan+Friend Alice Knight shorts | offbrand blouse, jacket, shoes, hat, earrings, brooch, and chain | BtSSB Border OTKs | Metamorphose Grand Couronne necklace | Jane Marple ring | Magical Mews Swan Hoe pin | Lady Sloth brooch | Love from the North pin | Equaliteas badge | Strike a Pose pin |

Paul came out to play twice in one year, this is unprecedented.

And now: all the pins.

There was an exhibition at the Manchester Art Gallery about dandies and men’s fashion from the 18th century to now, so naturally this called for a man meet. My outfit journey has gone from red x white punk ouji to black x red circus ouji, before it finally merged the two into what you see above. It ended up way more Boy George than punk boy, but it was still a cool vibe for the day. The exhibition was really good, it did a great job at showing the historical garments with their contemporary counterparts to allow for that direct comparison and driving the conversation. It would’ve been a great one to have a lecture or a class around because some of the conversations that we had amongst ourselves were really insightful. Whilst our ratio of lolita to boystyle was way greater than the previous man meets I’ve hosted/been to, everyone was dressed fab. Shoutout to @cupkate_alice for joining me in my vibe and being my pair.

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Coord 8: Quick Filming

| Resailan Jewelry Box JSK and hair clip | Sentaro blouse | Innocent World Union Flag Lame OTKs | Elf Armorie Cupid’s Heart shoes | Dalao Home wig | offbrand necklace | Le Petit Four bracelet | vii ring |

When I say the filming was quick, I mean it was quick. I did the barest minimum required and got out of this whole getup as soon as the filming was done.

Just accept that until I get through all of my new bracelets from Le Petit Four, you're going to see them in detail shots.

In other words, the look that only comes on for the purpose of filming and then is immediately taken off. Could it have been better? Yeah, of course. But I’m happy with it as it is too and am not really that likely to revisit it. That’s all that I can really say about this one. The video that this features in will be out on Friday, December 2nd (my nameday, coincidentally), so if you want to hear me talk about how this year’s goal of overhauling my wardrobe went, you’ll find all that there.

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Coord 9: Makers Markets

| AatP Rosier Fleur JSK | Axes Femme cutsew and bow brooch | Metamorphose Dressy OTKs | offbrand boots, beret, and necklaces | Cutie Creator headbow | vintage brooch | Metamorphose wrist cuffs | Rose of Sharon brooches |

I saw online that apparently the latest makeup trend is to look like you've just come from a walk outside when it's cold. Which is funny because that is kind of my natural colouring anyway? Not complaining, just enjoying being accidentally trendy and playing up what my face wants to do at this time of the year.

Quite like how these two necklaces layered with each other.

Wearing heels for a day strolling through some local makers’ markets might not have been the most practical idea, but I survived without too much pain and felt cute whilst browsing the stalls. This coord is another one that’s been living in my head for a while and although I’m usually not too keen on wearing light shoes against darker socks, I don’t mind it here, probably thanks to the green laces. The way the wrist cuffs and the cutsew work together is making me particularly happy - they’re not a perfect colour match, yet manage to look like one item rather than two. As for the markets, it was a mixed bag. I got most of what I went there for, but not as much as I was hoping for. I forget that those markets are still very much aimed at normies (or more accurately, I forget that lolita and J-fashion is still incredibly niche), so other than one stall that I’m a big fan of and some of the food ones, the only thing there that was of any interest to me were the candles. Except that I’m on a self-imposed ban on buying new candles, so even that didn’t really work. Oh well, at least I got things.

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Coord 10: Mousetrap

| Innocent World White Double Braid Tartan skirt | offbrand top, tights, and boot toppers | Axes Femme cardigan, collar, and brooch | Fluffy Tori pin |

My theatre booking spree also included a showing of Agatha Christie’s Mousetrap, which is currently on its 70th anniversary tour. Whilst I tried to put together something with a detective flair to it, between not having quite the pieces with that vibe and not having quite enough time to try to wrangle something else, I decided to simply go with whatever felt nice and kept me toasty. As I put this coord up, I realised that the last three times I wore this skirt I only took a mirror selfie, which is both an achievement (in light of my goals for 2022) and a little bit sad since it is a great skirt that deserves to be showcased in fuller pictures too.

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The penultimate coords roundup post of 2022. Festive season is already here (the Christmas tree in my living room says so, as does my Christmas cactus), so I’m once again contemplating dressing in some flavour of festive every day of December until Christmas. Although let’s face it, with more days at the office than at home, it’s likely not going to be as frilly as it has been in the past. We’ll see. As for November, there’s a nice spread of outfits here, some still very autumnal and then moving onto the wintery ones. It’s a good reflection of November as a month. Things have been a little bit shaky personally, but as I’m writing this, I’m optimistic and hopeful, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel that is this year, so I’m trying to hold onto that. Seeing that light during the bleak late autumn/winter days isn’t always easy, but whenever I can manage, it makes the world of a difference. Hopefully you all are doing well and have something to offer that light, that spark of joy, that will keep you going through these final days of the year.